What more proof do you need from the Vols? Tennessee beat the Baylor Bears on the hardwood Friday night 77-62 to capture the Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas, one day after they beat the Virginia Cavaliers in dominating fashion as well, 64-42.
Baylor came into this game off an overtime win against St. John’s and was ranked No. 13 in the AP Poll and No. 14 in the Coaches Poll. UT, however, ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll and No. 9 in the Coaches Poll, managed to beat the brakes off them, establishing its dominance early and never letting up.
Chaz Lanier continues to hint that he might be the next Dalton Knecht, as he once again scored in the high 20s, dropping 25 points and going 7-of-10 from outside. With every game he shows an ability to take over whenever things get difficult.
What is different about this year’s team, though, is the number of options. Lanier wasn’t the only one to step up, as Igor Milicic Jr. had 10 points. Zakai Zeigler only had seven but dished out nine assists and had three steals. Cade Phillips had 11 in the post off the bench, and Jordan Gainey add 16 from the backcourt.
Between the elite bench and three-point shooting, it’s clear the Vols are a complete team, one more than capable of delivering Rick Barnes his first national championship. It’s not just about the depth, but it’s about the versatility. They have backcourt shooting, elite defense, and a dominant inside presence.
Most notably, the Vols are still working Darlinstone Dubar back into the lineup, they just lost Cameron Carr for a period of time, and J.P. Estrella is banged up. At full strength, this team could be deadly, and what they did in this game can’t be ignored.
With the win, Tennessee improves to 6-0 on the season and will return home to face the UT-Martin Skyhawks next Wednesday. Baylor, meanwhile, falls to 4-2 and will also return home next Wednesday, in their case to face the New Orleans Privateers.
